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Heljan announce Class 45 in OO


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20 hours ago, 61661 said:

Good Morning All,

Thanks for the overwhelmingly positive reaction to this announcement. As you might have guessed, we've been working on this for some time and if the first batch sells well there will be more to cover other livery/detail variations that haven't made it into the initial production run (hence the gaps in item numbers). We were also keen to ensure that retailers and modellers were not overwhelmed with a large number of short-run locos in one hit, possibly causing confusion and upset if people can't afford/obtain all they want and end up missing out. 

For the sake of clarity, the item numbers have been chosen to identify different sub-types, rather than allocated randomly. They are as follows: 
#451XX = steam heat, vac or dual brake 45/0 with glazed split-centre headcode panels

#453XX = steam heat, dual brake 45/0 with sealed beam nose ends

#454XX = Electric heat, dual brake 45/1 with sealed beam nose ends

#455XX = as above but with square HI headlight added

The eagle-eyed among you will notice that there's a gap for #452XX. This was intended to be early ETH-fitted 45/1s with glazed split-centre headcode panels but due to the limited lifespan and lack of variety in liveries for this variant we held it over to reduce complication in the initial batch. It might appear later if there is sufficient demand. Other variants may also appear in due course if the model is a success. We would be interested to find out what your priorities are from the following options: 

- Class 46 - both original and sealed beam ends

- Split headcode Class 45 without centre doors

- As above but with centre doors 

- Single centre headcode Class 45 

 

Droopy couplings: We have specifically asked for all future OO locos to have the shorter variant of our tension lock coupling as developed for the O2 'Tango' but not used since for some reason. I've had a bee in my bonnet about this problem on Heljan locos for a long time, so it will not get approved unless the couplings are right. The same applies to headcode typefaces, which is something we've been particular attention to recently. 

 

Chassis: An image of the chassis and drive mechanism was issued with the press release and can be viewed on our Facebook page. It's a central motor with two flywheels and, as far as I am aware (will check the models when EP samples arrive) pick ups on all except the pony wheels. Apart from the Class 47 faulty metal issue from many years ago, we are not aware of any problems with Heljan loco chassis, including the Class 23.

 

Hope this helps to provide a little more insight into what we're doing and how we are doing it. 

 

Kindest Regards

 

Ben

 

 

 

Slightly off-topic Ben, but a sealed-beam 46 in O gauge to double head with my 45 would be very nice!

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7 minutes ago, marksouthdown said:

 The comment about copyright to Modelzone on another post is invalid. It would normally be only 2/3 years if you look at other retailer commissioned models which Bachmann have now released.

It wasnt a comment, it was a question!

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8 hours ago, Airport2010 said:

Slightly off-topic Ben, but a sealed-beam 46 in O gauge to double head with my 45 would be very nice!

 

We'll have no O gauge discussion here thank you. Those Heljan 45s in O nearly made me change scale, and I am not sure I could resist the temptation a second time if we start discussing them here... :jester:

 

Sight of a good Peak bring back memories of them at St.Pancras stabled on the approach and under Barlow's train shed roof. Views that are changed forever now...


Roy

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3 hours ago, Roy Langridge said:

 

We'll have no O gauge discussion here thank you. Those Heljan 45s in O nearly made me change scale, and I am not sure I could resist the temptation a second time if we start discussing them here... :jester:

 

Sight of a good Peak bring back memories of them at St.Pancras stabled on the approach and under Barlow's train shed roof. Views that are changed forever now...


Roy

I’ll try not to mention it again!..Tee Hee Hee!

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On 03/06/2019 at 19:15, Mophead45143 said:

At the moment, Heljan are the only ones doing a 45/1, so there's a niche there. It would be nice if all the 45/1 variants were produced. The 'sealed beam' was the logical one to go for first as it's surely a contender for the most requested D&E era model of the past 10 years. The other nose end variants could come in future releases, and give a good choice of numbers for 70's modelers. 

 

The below should be correct prior to the overhauls with 'sealed beam' noses:

 

Split Headcode: 45101, 110, 115, 120, 124, 127, 132, 135 - 136, 138, 140, 142, 150

 

Centre - Split Headcode: 45111, 113, 116 - 119, 123, 125 - 126, 128 -131, 133, 137, 143 - 146, 147*, 148, 149*

 

Centre - Solid Headcode: 45102 - 109, 112, 114, 121 - 122, 134, 139, 141, 147*, 149* 

 

*45147 had centre - split at No.1 end, centre - solid at No.2 end. 

*45149 had centre - solid at No.1 end, centre - split at No.2 end (Just as it does now in Preservation). 

 

 

A bog standard blue 'sealed beam' 46 would be another win, as this has never been done to modern standards. I would have one, and it sounds like many more would. Once you have class 46 tooling that gives scope to do the centre - solid version, and for the early members of the class in green days, centre - split.

 

Also the split box 45 with the nose end doors for 60's modelers, again, never been done.  

 

Peaks give lots of Potential!!!

 

Cameron

 

 

The ETH variant with headcodes appeals to me, with a decent span of 1973 - 80 in some cases, not that much less than the sealed beam type, before headlights were fitted in the last two or three years.

 

For the record 45113 was also ETH split headcode, from 1973 to late 1978.

 

To answer Ben , a split headcode Class 45 without centre doors, would be my choice.

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Quote

- Class 46 - both original and sealed beam ends

- Split headcode Class 45 without centre doors

- As above but with centre doors 

- Single centre headcode Class 45 

 

Class 46 sealed beams... big Meg Ryan yes yes yes.

46035 as RTC or as preserved.. less so.

Centre headcode 45 or 46.. yes please, blue with dots.

 

exciting times.

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11 hours ago, stovepipe said:

 

The ETH variant with headcodes appeals to me, with a decent span of 1973 - 80 in some cases, not that much less than the sealed beam type, before headlights were fitted in the last two or three years.

 

For the record 45113 was also ETH split headcode, from 1973 to late 1978.

 

To answer Ben , a split headcode Class 45 without centre doors, would be my choice.

 

Apologies that was a typo, 45113 did indeed have split headcodes!

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11 hours ago, adb968008 said:

 

46035 as RTC or as preserved.. less so.

 

exciting times.

 

46035 as preserved, is that with the same style body as 45015 lol

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On ‎02‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 20:50, 7013 said:

Well, there will be plenty of choice for China Clay traffic,

..

..

46001/2/27 ( for the future)

 

 

From the mid 70s to withdrawal, the Class 46s were split between Laira, Canton and Gateshead depots. 46001-017 at LA, 46018-026 at CF and the rest at GD. The LA ones would have been a regular sight on Cornish china clay workings. The GD ones worked to Plymouth on passenger trains from the NE so will no doubt have also appeared on china clay from time to time. 

 

You can even have the namer, 46026: https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.derbysulzers.com%2F46026liskeard78.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.derbysulzers.com%2Fdevon1.html&docid=PQKPRl6qaUyEoM&tbnid=NT3uQRmSuHl7lM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjKzILsg9LiAhWHMBQKHTooA4oQMwhfKBEwEQ..i&w=1000&h=663&bih=875&biw=1280&q="46026" china clay&ved=0ahUKEwjKzILsg9LiAhWHMBQKHTooA4oQMwhfKBEwEQ&iact=mrc&uact=8

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4 minutes ago, brushman47544 said:

 

From the mid 70s to withdrawal, the Class 46s were split between Laira, Canton and Gateshead depots. 46001-017 at LA, 46018-026 at CF and the rest at GD. The LA ones would have been a regular sight on Cornish china clay workings. The GD ones worked to Plymouth on passenger trains from the NE so will no doubt have also appeared on china clay from time to time. 

 

 

The Cardiff allocated locos were only honorary Welsh, staying for a couple of years at most between 1974 - 76.  BRDatabase lists these as staying until withdrawal, but certainly the Locoshed books from 1978 onwards show the fleet concentrated roughly 50:50 LA:GD.

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On 03/06/2019 at 13:00, Phil Bullock said:

Probably best to focus on variants not recently modelled perhaps?

 

Class 45

Split headcode with end doors

Single centre headcode

 

Class 46

Split centre headcode

 

From the 60s/70s

 

cheers

 

On 03/06/2019 at 12:30, 'CHARD said:

 

D138-173 were built with centre-split headcodes

D174-193 were built with single piece headcodes

The one piece headcode window on the late batch of Brushes (class 46) was slightly smaller than that of all the refurbished locos both Cromptons (class 45) and Brushes. Not all the refurbished Cromptons had the funny shaped little grille under the main grille.

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10 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

 

The one piece headcode window on the late batch of Brushes (class 46) was slightly smaller than that of all the refurbished locos both Cromptons (class 45) and Brushes. Not all the refurbished Cromptons had the funny shaped little grille under the main grille.

To confirm, as I posted on the Bachmann thread last week, the 45s with grilles in the place of the original trapezoid shaped access panel were (TOPS numbers) 45008/19/22/26/41/56/102-9/12/4/21/2/34/41. All others retained the original access panel. Also all Brush machines (which became class 46) were built with the trapezoid access panels, but most if not all had the panels replaced with grilles in the 1960s, many whilst still GSYP. Certainly all 46s had trapezoid grilles at withdrawal.

 

Kevin

Edited by apollo 079
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The following is a summary of class 45/46s which for one reason or another did not have the standard sealed beam fronts at withdrawal:-

 

45025/7/47/53/61 retained outside split headcode boxes to withdrawal

45032/5/6 retained twin centre headcode boxes to withdrawal

45008/18/24/67 and 46005/12/20/4/37/41 retained single centre headcode boxes to withdrawal

45043/71* and 46016/49 has sealed beam lights but retained handrails and both WR and LMR headboard brackets to withdrawal

45134 had sealed beam lights but retained the WR and LMR headboard brackets to withdrawal

45147 had sealed beam lights but retailed the LMR headboard brackets to withdrawal.

All class 45/1s except 45147 carried the central headlight before withdrawal, though 45109 was not in this condition very long before it became the second eth peak to be withdrawn.

 

* 45071 also had smaller than standard marker lights, also fitted to the bonnet end of 20228.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Kevin

 

Edited by apollo 079
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I’m very much in a quandry with the 45’s...

 

on one hand ive got Bachmann 44/46 and other 45’s variants which are not bad (as long as you've got the right ones). They arent offering the 45/1.

 

On the other hand, the CAD of the Heljan peak looks good and feedback on the O gauge model is excellent, and they are offering everything.

 

its the hattons unnumbered ones of interest (the max-fax option)... It will come down to how well they sit amongst the others... but for that is a long wait.

 

hmmm...

 

 

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47 minutes ago, apollo 079 said:

The following is a summary of class 45/46s which for one reason or another did not have the standard sealed beam fronts at withdrawal:-

 

45025/7/47/53/61 retained outside split headcode boxes to withdrawal

45032/5/6 retained twin centre headcode boxes to withdrawal

45008/18/24/67 and 46005/12/20/4/37/41 retained single centre headcode boxes to withdrawal

45043 and 46016/47 has sealed beam lights but retained handrails and both WR and LMR headboard brackets to withdrawal

45143 had sealed beam lights but retained the WR and LMR headboard brackets to withdrawal

45147 has sealed beam lights but retailed the LMR headboard brackets to withdrawal.

All class 45/1s except 45147 carried the central headlight before withdrawal, though 45109 was not in this condition very long before it became the second eth peak to be withdrawn.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Kevin

 

Perhaps worth pointing out 45147 was an early withdrawal (1st 45/1 wdn) due to the crash/fire with an oil train at Weaste, by the motorway on 4th December 1984.

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12 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

Perhaps worth pointing out 45147 was an early withdrawal (1st 45/1 wdn) due to the crash/fire with an oil train at Weaste, by the motorway on 4th December 1984.

 

What a weaste of fine traction.....

 

 

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26 minutes ago, tinsley-toton said:

Then you have the usual case of different front ends after accident repair work, picture shows 45024 as D17 but with outer split boxes.

 

Leeds Neville Hill 55H

 

 

As allocated when new to Neville Hill. No yellow so pre mid 1962 ? The first without the connecting doors,I think.

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14 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

 

As allocated when new to Neville Hill. No yellow so pre mid 1962 ? The first without the connecting doors,I think.

 

D16 was the first.

 

From Derby Sulzers site:

 

Split boxes with doors

 

'With the decision to use a system of four character alpha/numeric train identification the current locomotive orders saw changes to their designs to accommodate the new train identification system. For the Peaks the initial change was the adding of two boxes on the nose end, split by the gangway doors that had been carried over from D1 - D10.'

 

11, 12, 13, 14, 15

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53 minutes ago, 'CHARD said:

 

What a weaste of fine traction.....

 

 

 

 

Worthwhile remembering 3 people died in this accident, the driver was found half way back in the engine room.

 

Many passengers were burned, later got exposure from the cold as they climbed onto an open motorway to avoid the risk of an oil train they thought could explode.

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Just now, adb968008 said:

 

 

Worthwhile remembering 3 people died in this accident, the driver was found half way back in the engine room.

 

As a railway employee of some 30 years, I would never trivialise incidents of this nature.  Certainly no offence is meant in my comments (I would generally refer to the incident as being at Eccles).

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2 hours ago, adb968008 said:

Perhaps worth pointing out 45147 was an early withdrawal (1st 45/1 wdn) due to the crash/fire with an oil train at Weaste, by the motorway on 4th December 1984.

Yes, which is why it was the only 45/1 not to have a centre headlight fitted. I didn't mention that as I assumed everyone knew about that. Photos of the less damaged end of the loco show that the top headboard bracket (sometimes referred to as a lamp bracket) was still in place. As far as I know 147 was the only peak to run in that condition. Unless of course.....

 

Kevin

 

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One more thing to note. The modification of the headcode boxes of D138-173 seems to have been concurrent with the replacement of the trapezoid panels with grilles. At least I have found no photos of a Brush Peak with divided centre boxes and trapezoid grilles. Again, unless of course.....

 

Kevin

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